In a certain tavern within the royal city.
“More booze! Bring me more booze! Just killed some foolish peasants, now it’s time to drink heartily, eat meat, and down booze!”
“That’s right! Hey, bartender! Hurry up with the drinks, or do you want to eat a bullet? We’re from the Giant Hammer Pirates.”
“And meat! Bring us some meat first! All we get on our voyages is salted meat that makes us want to puke. No fresh fruits or vegetables. If it weren’t for the money, I’d retire in this royal city.”
The tavern was filled with smoke and noise. Pirates huddled together in groups, boasting about their recent raids, how many women they captured, and how much loot they scored.
The tavern owner, a slightly overweight bald man, was sweating profusely. From his fine silk robe, it was clear he once lived well in the Prince’s royal city. But now, he bowed and scraped before the pirates, nervously smiling as he served them alongside his staff.
“Please wait a moment, sirs. The kitchen is working as fast as they can.”
“Faster?” A pirate sitting at a table sneered, drawing a short flintlock pistol and slamming it on the table, making the tavern owner turn pale.
“I’ve already waited three minutes. Do you know how much wealth it costs to waste three minutes of my precious time?”
The pirate’s comrades laughed coldly, watching the trembling owner with mocking eyes.
“There are too many customers today; we’re overwhelmed. The meat will take a bit longer, but I’ll have the drinks brought out right away. Jimmy! Bring the drinks!”
The tavern owner tried to placate them, cursing the pirates silently. These stinking pirates rarely paid for their food. If they were in a good mood, they might throw a few berries his way. If not, they might beat him.
Since the king’s death, life in the Prince’s royal city has changed completely. Pirates roamed the streets, fighting, killing, and robbing the citizens. The tavern owner had thought about fleeing with his savings, but the city’s gates were now sealed by pirates.
The royal guards were gone, replaced by drunken pirates. He couldn’t understand how the country had fallen into such chaos, nor why the North Blue Navy hadn’t intervened. The citizens lived in constant fear and uncertainty.
“Jimmy?”
The tavern owner called again, but his son didn’t appear with the drinks. He looked around in confusion.
At a table near the bar, a short-haired boy, Jimmy, was being grabbed by a scar-faced pirate. The boy struggled in terror, trying to break free, but the pirate’s strength was overwhelming.
“Let go of me! Dad! Help!”
“Jimmy!”
The tavern owner rushed over, ignoring the other pirates, and knelt before the scar-faced pirate, begging.
“Please, sir, don’t hurt my son. He’s just a boy and doesn’t understand. I apologize on his behalf.”
“Apologize? Hmph!”
The pirate sneered, pointing to a spilled bottle of booze on the table.
“This brat knocked over my drink. How are you going to make it right?”
“That’s a lie! I didn’t touch it! You’re framing me!”
Jimmy’s face turned red as he protested.
The tavern owner’s face fell, pulling his son’s arm.
“Jimmy! Stop!”
“But Dad! I’m telling the truth!” the boy insisted.
The pirate’s smile froze as the other pirates laughed.
“Hahaha, Pete, you’re so pathetic. Can’t even handle a kid. And you call yourself the North Blue Devil?”
“Yeah, Pete, did you paint that scar on your face? Or did you trip and fall? I heard you got it from that witch Jennifer. Looks like you just like to brag.”
The pirates jeered at the scar-faced pirate.
In the corner, a tall, slender man with wavy blond hair and a delicate face sat quietly, seemingly separated from the rowdy tavern.
On the table before him was a deck of tarot cards. The blond man shuffled and cut the cards gracefully, drawing a few and laying them out. He pressed a finger on one card’s back.
“Now… let’s see what fate has in store.”
He flipped the card to reveal an emperor seated on a throne, holding a scepter.
It was the Emperor card.
The tavern was in an uproar as the scar-faced pirate turned red with anger. He wanted to shout back, but the pirates in the tavern, though mostly ordinary, were under the command of big-name pirates. He couldn’t afford to offend them, so he glared at the defiant boy and the groveling tavern owner.
“Damn brat! Still arguing? And you, stupid owner, get me another drink!”
The pirate kicked the tavern owner in the stomach, sending him sprawling.
“Dad!”
Jimmy screamed, struggling harder.
“Hahaha, let’s use your body to make up for my spilled drink.”
The pirate laughed, dragging Jimmy closer.
The tavern owner, coughing and clutching his stomach, crawled to the pirate’s feet, pleading.
“Please, sir, he’s just a boy. Not a girl.”
“Shut up!” The pirate slapped him, making his nose bleed.
“I like boys!”
“Pete, you idiot, don’t kill the owner. We need him to serve us! Hahaha!”
In the corner, the blond man, Basil Hawkins, picked up the Emperor card and stood, heading for the door.
“What I seek is in the palace? Then I must see it for myself.”
He patted his pockets and frowned.
“No money?”
Ahead, the tavern owner begged the pirate to release his son.
Hawkins approached, speaking softly.
“Owner, I forgot to bring money. Sorry about that. But I can do something to earn my meal. Do you… have any requests?”
The tavern owner, bloodied and tearful, was in despair.
“Please, someone save my son.”
“Save him?”
Hawkins nodded slightly. He drew a gleaming sword from his waist, slashing it swiftly.
“Consider your request fulfilled. This meal is on me.”
As the sword returned to its sheath, Hawkins walked away.
Behind him, the scar-faced pirate’s vicious expression froze. A thin red line appeared on his neck.
Splurt!
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